That Which Does Not Kill Us
by montez
Summary: Ridley's Brotherhood AU borrowed. Instinct shouldn't be ignored. Especially if you're a hunter and a psychic.
1. Chapter 1

That which does not kill us…  
By: Montez  
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: still not mine, borrowing Kirpke's Winchester boys and Ridley's Brotherhood. Hope you enjoy.

A/N: Again I'm delving into the world of the Brotherhood and if you have read any of my previous stories you will know I am particle to the characters of Caleb and Mac (Thanks again to Ridley for her awesome universe). So again they will be the main focus of this story-sorry to the WeeWinchester fan's but they are a passing mentions in the background of the events. I'll go ahead now and put in a warning for language and mild torture, though most is mental, there is a little physical, but nothing graphic, I don't like to read graphic, so I don't like to write graphic. Well I guess I should stop here before I give anything away. I hope you give this a chance and enjoy my story. Thanks in advance for your time and support!--Montez

"Look Dad, I think it's a shape shifter, several people have gone missing, then show back up a few days later, doing things completely out of character, before disappearing again. A couple of bodies have turned up." Caleb stopped his movement around the small hotel room he had gotten when he reached Carrolton, Arkansas. "I know Mac, I'm just doing research right now, I'm not going to look for it until I have more proof, then Johnny's meeting me here." It was summer break for Caleb, he would be entering his final year at Auburn in the fall, but any breaks or holidays he got he would use that time to hunt. "I'll be careful, promise. Bye Dad." Hanging up the phone the hunter shook his head, whispering to himself, "gesh, I'm not a kid anymore." as he walked around gathering up the pictures of the last victims. He was going to hit a couple of the local bars, see if anyone remembered the twenty-something's and if they had been seen with anyone. Grabbing his black leather jacket Caleb headed out.

It was still early evening; the bar wasn't very crowded as the after-work crowd hadn't shown up yet. Caleb had gotten no where showing the pictures to the bartender or the waitress, he sat nursing a beer, hoping as the 'regulars' started coming in, someone would remember the victims. A young woman caught his attention as she took the seat next to him, he smiled at her, noticing her sandy brown hair braided along the side of her head, meeting, what he was sure was a matching braid in the back. Her blue eye's sparkled as she gave him a coy smile, the faded jeans and low-cut blouse only helped to keep his attention. "You come here often?" she smiled again as he laughed.

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?" He turned slightly toward her.

"I thought I'd beat you to it." She replied, "My names Karen." she held out her hand.

Turning on the charm Caleb took her hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing the back. He watched as the young woman blushed, "I'm Caleb, can I get you something?"

"I'll have what you're having." She turned to face the bar as a beer was placed in front of her. "So you didn't answer me, you come here often?"

"Ah, no, just passing through…actually I'm looking for a couple of friends of mine…" He pulled the photos from inside his jacket, "You haven't seen them have you?"

The girl took the pictures, studying them a minute, before handing them back, "Sorry, did something happen to them?"

Her concern sounded genuine, but there was something off, only Caleb couldn't put his finger on it. "They went missing a couple weeks ago, their families are worried, so I offered to come down here and look for them."

She turned toward him again, her body language and voice taking on a more suggestive tone, "Well, I hope if I ever go missing, you would come looking for me." She smiled as she placed her hand on his leg.

Caleb smiled, who was he to refuse a beautiful woman, "I think I would have to get to know you a little better first."

Karen leaned in closer, whispering in his ear, "We can remedy that." she pulled back, her face just inches from his.

"I think I could use a little break." Caleb smiled, standing; he threw a twenty on the bar, then left with Karen at his side.

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Mac had a bad feeling from the moment his son told him he was looking into a possible shape shifter in Arkansas, now with the phone clinched tightly in his hand, what he was hearing for the man on the other end wasn't helping, "Are you sure Caleb hasn't contacted you? Look I know John, I know you would let me know, but he said he was going to finish doing some research then contact you, that was almost twelve hours ago and I haven't been able to reach him." Mac listened as the other hunter continued talking. "I've called Jim and Joshua and even Bobby, nobody has heard from him. I've got a flight out in two hours…okay I'll meet you at the hotel Caleb was staying."

The Scholar hung up the phone, running his hand over his face. Yes he had gone hours, even days without hearing from his son before, but something was different, it didn't feel right and that was gnawing away at the pit in Mac's stomach. Grabbing his stuff the older man headed toward the airport.

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Awareness came back slowly as the pounding in his head hindered his concentration. "Well, well, well, about time you decided to wake up, I was beginning to think you didn't like my company."

The face that greeted him caused Caleb to become alert immediately, "Son of a bitch." He growled out, "I should have known. I thought something was off about you, but I couldn't figure it out."

The person stepped up and knelt in front of the restrained hunter. "Maybe next time you should look past the pretty face and nice ass and listen to your instincts." a hard pat on the cheek emphasized the point.

"It's never going to work, I've got people who will come looking for me and they know exactly what to do with the likes of you." Caleb tried to control his reflex to pull back when the creature in question leaned into his face.

"You're not the first hunter to come looking for me, and I'm still here." standing the thing threw its arms out in a welcoming gesture, "Actually, I'm counting on someone looking for you that will make things more interesting."

Caleb didn't like the sound of that as the creature approached again, standing over him, "Now if you don't mind, I have a hotel room to get back to." he leaned down toward Caleb's ear, "And you have such a wealth of despair to draw from, this is going to be fun."

Before Caleb could react a fist connected with the side of his head, the last thing he saw was the white flicker that flashed in the creatures golden eyes sneering at him, eye's that matched his own.

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Mac threw down the handful of papers he had just picked up that were spread out across the bed, "This doesn't tell us anything." Worry filtering through his voice.

"Look, maybe he found something, is watching the thing. You know sometimes you can't make contact if you're tailing what you're hunting." John Winchester wasn't helping Mac's mood any. He had told his son, not to hunt the thing alone, in fact that was number one on the 'John Winchester list of things to not do on a hunt'. So Mac couldn't understand why John wasn't more worried. "If he said he was doing research then that's what he's probably doing. Just because he's doing recon, doesn't mean he was actively hunting the thing. I've drilled that into his head from day one, to never hunt alone."

"I know, but something doesn't feel right about this, he wouldn't just stop answering his page, even if he was following the thing and if he found something he should have called you, right?" Mac watched as worry flashed across John's face for an instant, then was gone.

It was the sound of a key turning in the knob that had both hunters turning toward the door, guns drawn. Caleb looked up as he entered the room, "Whoa…" He threw his hands up, "Dad, Johnny what are you guys doing here?"

Mac lowered his gun, taking a step toward his son as John returned his gun to the back of his jeans. "I was worried; I've been trying to reach you for nearly eighteen hours."

"Where ya been Junior? It's not easy trying to keep your Dad from calling out a search and rescue team." John took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"I picked up a trail and thought I should check it out; when I knew something for sure I was going to call." Caleb turned and looked at Mac, "Sorry Dad, but you know how it can be; sometimes you just can't breakaway to check in." The younger man removed his jacket, tossing it on the bed beside John, as he headed toward the bathroom.

"What did you find out? Is it a shifter?" John asked as Mac watched the retreating back of his son, something was off, but Mac just couldn't put his finger on it.

"Are you okay Son?" Mac walked over, standing in the doorway as Caleb splashed water on his face, grabbing the towel next to him.

"I'm fine, just a little tired." Caleb turned and looked over at John, "It's definitely a shape shifter, harder than I thought to track though, but I think I figured out where the entrance to its lair might be."

John stood, "Well let's go check it out, maybe we can catch it by surprise." The older hunter walked toward the door.

"John, it can wait another day, Caleb just said he was tired, maybe he should rest a while." Mac watched the reaction of his son, who in true Winchester training fashion grabbed his jacket to follow the hunter out.

"I'm all right Dad, me and Johnny can go check it out." Slipping the jacket on he grabbed the gun he had laid on the side table. "I think it's a good idea to try and surprise it, we need to take care of this before anyone else gets hurt."

Mac pulled his gun from its holster, checking to make sure his had the silver clip in, "I'll come to, the sooner we're done with this the better."

Caleb held the door open, "After you Dad." Mac walked past his son, but missed as the white flashed in the creatures eyes, accompanied by the evil smirk that crossed its face.


	2. Chapter 2

That Which Does Not Kill Us...  
Chapter 2  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

The three hunters drove to the abandoned warehouse that Caleb had told them about, stopping the vehicles Mac and Caleb approached John at the trunk of the Impala. "You got the silver?" John asked as the two men approached, he double checked his clip then reached into the trunk for a silver knife, handing one to Mac as well.

Both men turned and looked at Caleb when he snapped at the question, "I know what the hell I'm doing John." The coldness in the young hunter's voice was uncharacteristic, John took little noticed, figuring it was bothering Caleb a bit with Mac being there. The young man had mentioned to John that Mac's constant worry was wearing on the younger hunter's nerves. However, it only caused more concern for Mac.

"Caleb, is something wrong?" Mac asked his son once they stepped away from John.

Caleb rubbed his head, glancing at his father, "Sorry Dad, just have a headache, been up too long."

Mac touched his son's forearm, but the younger man jerked back, "It's not a vision coming on is it?" the older man asked, his voice full of concern.

"Here Mac," John handed Mac a flashlight, as Caleb took the opportunity to step away from his father and not answer the question. John looked between both men, figuring he'd interrupted something, but they were on a hunt and they needed to focus, everything else could be taken care of later. "Lead the way Junior." John gestured for Caleb to take point as they slowly approached the building.

Mac reached and grabbed John's arm, "Something's wrong with him, maybe we should come back later, you can call someone else in to help."

John looked at Mac, blowing out a deep breath. He had fought with Mac before over the man's 'over protectiveness' with Caleb, but Caleb was a good student, a quick learner and was turning into a great hunter if Mac would just back off, "He seem's fine to me." John glanced at the man in question who had stopped a few paces ahead, waiting for the older hunters.

Mac shook his head, "Look I know you think I am holding him back, I know I can't control what he does, but I'm telling you John, something is off with him. I'm his father; I know when something is wrong with my son and just now when I touched his arm…" Mac glanced at Caleb who was watching him intently, before he looked back at John.

"When you touched his arm what?" Mac finally saw a hint of concern in John's face. John knew there was a connection between the father and son that no one but them understood and it had been proven time and again that if Mac felt something was really wrong with Caleb, it would generally be true.

"I don't know how to describe it, it was a feeling I have never gotten from Caleb before, it was like…" Mac rubbed his face, "It was almost like a barely restrained hatred."

John looked at Caleb, noticing the impatient pacing the younger man was doing, then turning back to Mac. "Okay, let's just get this hunt over with, then we'll try and figure out what's up with him." Mac knew that John wouldn't call the hunt, so he took what he could from the Knight, who took off to follow Caleb, Mac bringing up the rear as they entered the building.

Silently each man entered the warehouse, hand signals replaced verbal communication. John pointed Mac off to the left, Caleb to the right and John, himself, took the center aisle as machinery filled the building. Slowly the hunters made their way down the aisles, looking for any sign the shifter had been there recently. The sound of scuffing caused John to turn quickly, gun held tight "Damn it Junior, I told you to take the other aisle." The older hunter whispered out before turning his back on his protégé.

However, it was the cold, hard voice of the younger hunter that caused John to pause, "You know you should have really listened to Mac when he warned you something was wrong. But then again, where's the fun in that." John turned quickly, realizing the fatal mistake a second to late as a pipe connected with the side of his head. The sudden impact caused John to reflexively pull the trigger as the loud report of his hand gun echoed in the quiet building, barely missing the creature that was wearing Caleb's face. The shifter stood over John, pipe still in hand as he heard Mac calling their names, quickly approaching their position.

The scene that greeted Mac when he rounded the corner was almost surreal. There stood his son, standing over a prone John, metal pipe in hand. Lowering his gun slightly, Mac cautiously approached, "Caleb, what happened?" Mac's worry increased when John didn't react to his voice.

Caleb's back was to his father, listening as the man slowly approached. "You know, one day he will learn to listen to your instincts. He's to focused on looking for the monsters that hide in the dark to see the monster right next to him."

Mac shivered, involuntarily, at the cold sound of the voice coming from his son. "Caleb, I don't know what's wrong, but we can take care of it, I'll help you through it no matter what it takes." Mac had secretly feared his son's Demons would catch up with him one day, he had tried everything he knew to do to reassure the young man that there was nothing different about him, despite the rumors inside the ranks of the Brotherhood that questioned his son's lineage and it's connection to a demon-possessed Preacher over a hundred years ago. However, standing here, seeing his son standing over a man that the younger man, all but worshipped, Mac allowed guilt to wash over him, guilt that maybe he had missed something that could have prevented the one thing both he and his son feared, that the past would repeat itself. Mac took a step closer, lowering his gun to his side. "Caleb, please." Mac felt a shiver go down his spine as his son laughed.

The shifter couldn't help but laugh at the situation, his menacing voice spoke again. "I knew it would be fun when someone came looking for him, but I never dreamed it would be his father. It's just going to make things that much more interesting."

Before the words could filter into and make sense in Mac's brain, Caleb turned, piped raised. Mac didn't even have time to react as the metal connected with his head, his gun clattering useless to the floor a few feet away, as a glint of white flashed in his son's golden eyes.

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"Son of a bitch…" John growled the curse out as he tried to push himself to his knees, the pounding in his head causing the darkened space around him to tilt, rising bile in his throat. Getting to his knees he reached his hand to his head, pulling it back when he felt wetness, the coppery smell finally reaching his nose. Grabbing for his flashlight that still lay beside him he shined it around. "Mac! Caleb!" the echo of his friend's names causing the pressure in his head to flare again. As the sound of Caleb's name faded a memory filtered through the fogginess John was feeling. The unnatural sound of Caleb's voice, telling him he should have listened to Mac, realization that it wasn't Caleb that was with them, but the shifter. He remembered the metal pipe arching at him then the blackness. "Oh God, Caleb…" John whispered as the implication of what may have happened to Caleb if the shifter was masquerading as the young hunter. Making his way to his feet, flashlight illuminating the surrounding area, "no no no, it need's it victims alive to mimic them," John whispered to himself. "Mac!" he yelled again as the light finally glinted off an object about fifteen feet away; Mac's gun. "Shit!"

Making his way out of the warehouse, John reached the Impala, noticing that Caleb's Jeep was gone, meaning the thing had taken Mac. Reaching the relative safety of the Chevy John knew he needed to get back to the hotel room and contact Jim. He needed help to track this thing that now had the Scholar and future Knight and John didn't have a damn clue as to where to look.

Twenty minutes later John stumbled into the hotel room, his attempts to move faster than his head wanted him too was again making him nauseated. Dropping heavily on the bed next to the phone, he reached for the phone, clumsily dialing the familiar number to a quiet farm in Kentucky. It was a couple rings before Jim answered. "Hello?"

Jim's voice did nothing to calm the fear and worry that was filling John, he didn't know how much time he had or how long the creature would keep the two men alive, but he did know that shifters had a sadistic nature and were known to torture it's victims before it finally killed them. "Jim, I need your help…I lost Mac and Caleb…" John felt another wave of dizziness hit him, reaching a hand out to the table, trying to keep himself from falling off the bed.

"Jonathon? What? What do you mean you 'lost' them?" Jim's voice was calm, but the edge of urgency could be heard as he tried to understand what the Knight meant.

"It got the drop on me; I didn't realize…Mac knew something…" John was fighting the spots that now danced in his vision; he needed Jim to know where they were. "Something was wrong…it looked like Caleb…wasn't him…hit me with…" John's voice started to drift as his thoughts became jumbled.

"Jonathon are you hurt? Where are you?" All calmness was gone as it seemed forever before John answered.

"Carrolton, Arkansas…hotel…Mitchell Hotel…room ten…" No matter how hard John fought the encroaching darkness it finally won as the phone slipped from his hand, slamming into the side of the table as John fell forward off the bed, not feeling the impact as he landed on the floor.

A few hundred miles away Pastor Jim Murphy heard the near whisper of a motel name and room number before hearing the phone hit something hard, then the faint sound of John hitting the floor, "Jonathon! John!"


	3. Chapter 3

That Which Does Not Kill Us  
Chapter 3  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

It was all Jim could do to not start yelling into the phone, he looked out the kitchen window to see John's children in the yard, thirteen-year old Dean and nine-year old Sammy were near the pond with the dogs, trying to skip stones. Dean hadn't been happy when his father had dropped them at the farm as he headed toward Arkansas, planning on meeting up with Caleb. Now, as Jim listened to what sounded like John passing out from an unknown injury, he was desperately racking his brain to see if he could remember a hunter close enough to John to help him. However, if what Jim could get from the conversation was true and Mac and Caleb were now missing, the Pastor needed to find someone to come and stay with the boys so he could get to Arkansas as well.

Hating to hang up the open line he had to John, Jim knew he needed to in order to try and get a hold of Bobby Singer, who the Pastor remembered was just over the line in Missouri, the closest hunter to John's location. Dialing the number Bobby had given him when he checked in the day before, Jim hoped he would catch the man in his room. That prayer was answered as the gruff voice of the mechanic answered, "Singer".

"Robert, it's Jim, I need you to head to Carrolton, Arkansas, the Mitchell Hotel, room ten. Jonathon's injured, I don't know how bad. He was on the phone with me when it sounded like he passed out." Jim spoke quickly as he knew Bobby would start asking questions.

"Carrolton, isn't that where Caleb is? How did John get hurt and where is Caleb?" Jim could hear the worry in Bobby's voice, knowing if it was Jim calling directly something bad was happening.

"Look Robert I don't have all the details, but from what he could tell me, something got the drop on him, Mackland and Caleb are missing." Jim listened as the other hunter cursed.

"Okay Jim, I'm leaving now. Are you meeting me there?" Bobby was sure that Jim would become directly involved since members of the Triad were missing and injured.

"I have to contact someone to come and stay with the boys, then I will be heading that way, call me when you reach him." After getting an affirmation that he would call, Jim hung up the phone then dialed Missouri Mosley's number, it would take a few hours by air for her to reach Kentucky, but she was the only person he could think of that Dean and Sammy would listen too in his absence. Again glancing out the window, Jim decided he would hold off telling the boys what was happening, knowing he had time to come up with a cover story. He hated to deceive the boys, but he knew how Dean felt about Caleb and if the boy knew his father may be injured as well, there would be little stopping him from hot wiring Jim's truck and heading to Arkansas himself. So with a deep breath, Jim waited for the phone to be answered in Kansas.

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"I hear you moving around, what are you doing you son of a bitch?" Caleb had heard the creature return, even though he couldn't see what was going on, the thing had placed a bag over the young hunters head once it had knocked him out, so Caleb had been sitting for hours, his head pounding as he strained to listen for any movement. A short time ago he heard what sounded like his Jeep returning to the abandoned church he was being held in, then he heard as it sounded like the thing was dragging something into the room.

"I'm glad to see you're awake, I brought you a present." the creature joyfully spoke, as if he was really giving Caleb something special. "I found your friends, believe it or not it was pretty easy to fool them, I expected better from the way you were talking before." Caleb could hear what sounded like another chair being drug across the floor, then the creature moving what could only be a body. "But this one, this one could tell something was wrong, only he didn't figure it out in time. Even when he saw me standing over the body of the other hunter, he still didn't have it completely figured out. I think for a moment he still thought it was you."

Caleb's heart clinched as the creature said he had stood over the body of another hunter. He didn't know who it was, but a few names came to mind, mostly John and Bobby, who he knew was close by in Missouri. John would have been on his way already, since Caleb had called him the day before, telling him about the case. He was going to drop the boys in Kentucky and head toward Arkansas. He prayed that whoever it was the creature had attacked was still alive, the thought of someone dying because of his carelessness made him sick to his stomach.

It was the creature's voice that again filtered into his thoughts as it finished tying its new captive to the other chair. Caleb heard it approaching him. "You know, this just adds to your deep, dark secrets that I can draw from. If you know anything about my kind, we enjoy inflicting as much pain as possible, not only physical, but mental as well…" it leaned in close to Caleb's ear, "and this is going to be so much fun." a chill went down Caleb's spin as the whisper reached his ear, then feeling the thing pull the bag from his head.

It took a minute for his eye's to adjust to the dim light, but Caleb's world stopped as his vision cleared and he took in the slumped form tied to the chair twenty feet away, "Mac?" the younger man whispered, praying his eyes were playing tricks on him.

"Dear ole Dad was the one who picked up that something was wrong, but he never did connect that I wasn't you." the thing walked over, lifting Mac's head so Caleb could see the dried blood from where the shifter his him with the pipe. "I do believe…" the thing smiled at Caleb, "that he believed it was you that attacked the other hunter, John I believe his name was."

Caleb closed his eyes a moment, the thought that his Dad was now held captive by the shifter and the possibility that John was dead was almost too much. He had to keep telling himself the thing would lie and twist the truth to inflict more pain and doubt. There is no way his father could have really thought it was him that attacked John, could he? "You're lying, I'm sure my father saw you for what you were."

The Caleb impersonator knelt next to Mac as it continued to talk to Caleb. It pointed to its own head, "Don't forget my kind are psychic too, I can pull any thought, any memory. I know your fears, your weakness, and…" it stood again, looming over Mac, "I know his too and believe me, he thought it was you, up until I swung that pipe." the creature pulled it's hand back, slapping Mac across the face, attempting to rouse him.

"LEAVE HIM ALONG!" Caleb yelled, when the thing hit Mac. He watched as he father's head snapped to one side, then with a groan Mac started to come around. "Dad!"

The shifter smiled menacingly at Caleb as he knelt in front of Mac, blocking his view of the real Caleb, then reached up and patted the man's cheek again, bring the older hunter around. "Wakey, wakey."

"Caleb?" Mac whispered out as the creature glanced at he real Caleb, an 'I told you so' look on its face.

"Told you, you should have listened to your instincts" Mac had to blink several times before the face before him came into focus. He then pulled back as the creature leaned in closer. "How's the head Mac?" the thing pocked the cut on the side of Mac's head, causing the man to swear under breath.

"I SAID LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Caleb again yelled, fighting the restraints that were holding him.

Confusion crossed Mac's face as he was looking at his son's face, but hearing the younger man's voice a short distance away. The figure before him stood and turned, "Now see, you've already taken some of the fun out of it." the creature moved to allow Mac to see his son tied to the chair opposite him.

"You?" Mac whispered as everything started to come together. "I knew something was wrong, that something wasn't right." Mac looked across to his son, "Caleb are you okay Son?"

Before Caleb answered the creature laughed, looking between father and son, "You thought I was him when I was standing over your friend. Now you want to know if he's okay. Why don't you tell him that just for a minute you were convinced that he had snapped and had turned on someone close to him? That is one of your fears isn't it, Dad?" The shifter drew out the last word like it was derogatory remark.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up!?" Caleb shouted, the shocked expression on Mac's face didn't help with Caleb trying to convince himself that the thing was lying just to torment them. Caleb looked at his father, "Dad, tell him you knew it wasn't me, that you saw him for what he is…"

The pleading in Caleb's voice reminded Mac so much of the twelve year old who pleaded for Mac to get him out of that hospital all those years ago. The same voice that begged without words for Mac to take him in, to protect him and now out of the mouth of a real monster, a fragile balance of trust was teetering between father and son.

Mac's silence scared Caleb more than anything at the implication that his father had really thought he had attacked John. Caleb's thoughts were so far away he didn't see the creature approach him until it was in his face. "See told ya!" it stood and quickly hit Caleb across the face, snapping the young man's head to one side. Shaking his head Caleb glared at he creature that was wearing his face, "Kiss my ass!" the remark was met with another punch as Caleb's world went dark.

"CALEB!" The sound of his father's shouts disappearing into the abyss.


	4. Chapter 4

That Which Does Not Kill Us  
Chapter 4  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

"John! John!" Bobby Singer was pounding on the door to room ten at the Mitchell Hotel in Carrolton, Arkansas. When his yelling didn't receive an answer he took a step back and kicked the door open. What greeted him wasn't a sight he would have ever wanted to find, John Winchester was laying between the two queen beds, face down in the carpet. "Damn it!" Bobby mouthed as he rushed to the downed hunter's side, slowly turning him over. Blood covered the side of John's face from the gash at his hair line. The gruff hunter reached toward the younger man's neck, blowing out a relieved breath that John was still alive. Patting the unconscious hunter's face a couple of times, Bobby attempted to rouse him, "John, hey I need you to wake up." Slowly John started turning his head, a quiet groan escaped him as the Knight attempted to open his eyes.

Blinking slowly John struggled to get his eye's open, "Bobby?" John slowly brought his hand up to his eyes, "Shit…how long have I been out?" John tried to set up, Bobby helping him to lean against one of the beds.

"Jim called about four hours ago, you passed out while you were on the phone with him." Bobby watched the younger hunter. "Where's your first-aid kit?" Bobby turned John's head, trying to get a better look at the gash.

"Out in the car." John tilted his head back, closing his eyes.

"I need you to stay awake for me; I'm gonna go get it, okay?" Bobby watched as John barely nodded, he then ran out of the room, returning two minutes later with the first-aid kit.

John had become a little more coherent while Bobby was out of the room and attempted to push the older hunter's hands away when Bobby again reached for his head. "I'm fine Bobby, we need to find Mac and Caleb, that thing got the drop on me."

"We ain't goin nowhere until I get you fixed up and Jim get's here, that reminds me, here hold this." Bobby got John to hold the gauze against the cut as he turned, hanging up the phone, then picking it up, getting a dial tone. It was about thirty seconds when Jim answered, "Yeah, Jim…I just got here…no he was unconscious, but he's awake now…got a nasty cut on his head, but nothing else that I can tell…yeah I told him we would wait until you got here…I'll get him to tell me what he knows and I'll go through the kids stuff, see what I can find…okay…see ya then." Bobby hung up, returning to John's side, removing the cloth to see if the younger man needed stitches.

"Jim coming?" John asked.

"Be here in about three hours, gonna fly into the closest airport, then drive here. I need ya to tell me what you know." Bobby decided John didn't need stitches and started to cover the cut with a couple of butterfly bandages.

John slowly pushed himself up, sitting on the edge of the bed, his head still pounding. Bobby hovered close, taking a seat on the bed opposite the younger man. "I met Mac here, he was worried about Caleb, it had been over twelve hours since Mac had last talked to him and the kid wasn't answering any of his pages. While we were here, Caleb, or at least what we thought was Caleb, showed up…"

Bobby cut John off, "What do you mean, what you thought was Caleb?"

John ran hand over his face, still not believing he let the shifter get one over on him. "Mac thought something was off about Caleb, but I just thought it was Mac being Mac. It wasn't until we were at the warehouse and the thing snuck up behind me that I realized it was the shifter. I remember a metal pipe coming at me, then waking up God knows how much later, I found Mac's gun. Damn it Bobby I don't even know where to look for them or how long it's had them, they could be dead already." John stood and started pacing, his head pounding with each step, reminding him of his failure that could cost them both Mac and Caleb.

"Look…" Bobby stood, stopping the other man's pacing, "Until we find a body, we have to believe they are alive, you know as well as I do, it will take a hell of a lot to knock either of them out of the game. So until Jim arrives we need to start looking through the kid's notes, see if he noticed a pattern or anything that might tell us where the thing is holding up."

John nodded, he wasn't thinking clearly, his head was killing him, normally he would be tearing the town apart looking for his friends, but Jim was coming and they needed somewhere to start when the Guardian arrived. Reluctantly he sat back down and started going through the papers that were scattered over the bed.

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"What do you want with us?" Mac asked, he had no idea how long he had stared at the unconscious form of his son, the younger man's head hung low against his chest. "Look, let him go, he's still a kid…" Caleb would cringe if he heard his father refer to him as a kid, the boy would remind Mac that he was nearly twenty-two years old, but to Mac his son would always be a kid. "He hasn't done anything to you, please let him go."

The creature wearing Caleb's face slowly approached Mac. "Hasn't done anything to me, if he had realized what I was he would have killed me. Don't try and tell me he's innocent of anything, like I told him, you are not the first hunter's I've run across, but I'm the one still here."

At that moment Caleb let out a low groan, the creature turned its attention back to the younger man as Mac watched his son struggle to raise his head, "Caleb? Caleb, can you here me?"

"Yes Caleb, can you hear dear old dad?" the thing approached Caleb, pulling his head up by his hair, whispering into the semi-conscious hunter's ear. "Don't forget he's the one that actually thought I was really you…how ironic…" the shifter let go of Caleb's hair, the young man's head dropping.

"Leave him alone!" Mac yelled across the room as the thing turned toward him again. Mac could see Caleb raising his head slowly, blinking several times, then the younger man's eyes met his fathers. "Caleb, don't listen to him, I've always believed in you Son, don't ever forget that."

The shifter laughed at that as it looked back at Caleb, who was giving the thing his best 'if looks could kill' glare. The creature knelt in front of Mac again, "Is that why you keep a journal just on your son, because you 'believe' in him or is it because you are trying to see if any patterns between his father's life and his start to show up. Tell me Mac, if he turned rabid would you put him down like a dog, or would you lock him away."

"You son of a bitch…" Caleb growled out, "You don't know anything about me or my family." He watched as the creature stood, glaring at him.

"No? I know you feel guilty anytime someone close to you get's hurt or dies, tell me does that apply to dear old dad here." Before Caleb could answer the creature hit Mac hard across the face with the back of its hand.

"Stop it you bastard!" Caleb renewed his struggle to get loose; he needed to protect his father from the attack as the creature again hit Mac. The younger man could feel the blood starting to soak through the ropes holding his arms to the chair, but he continued. "Damn it I said stop!"

Caleb watched as the creature hit Mac several more times before it backed up, breathing hard like it had just had a workout at the gym. The young hunter watched Mac's head hang low, "Dad! Damn it Mac answer me!" Caleb's heart clinched when he say blood drip from his father's mouth as Mac remained motionless.

The shifter grabbed a piece of cloth and started wiping its hands; Caleb could see the blood smeared on its knuckles, his father's blood. "You're gonna kill us anyway, why drag it out?" Caleb tried to remain calm, but his insides were seething, he wanted nothing more than to be loose from his restraints, silver bullets or no silver bullets, at this moment Caleb was sure he could kill the creature with just his bare hands.

"Where's the fun in killing you quick, I'm having too much fun, but believe me it won't be too long, I know more are coming to look for you and I need to be long gone before they arrive." The Caleb imposter walked over to the younger hunter. "So who should I kill first, you in front of Daddy, or should I kill him in front of you?" the thing slapped Caleb's cheek, "you think about that while I'm out." it turned and left Caleb watching his unconscious father, as he desperately tried to figure out a way he could get them out of there.

A/N: the mention of a Journal that Mac would keep on Caleb was an idea I found in one of Ridley's stories, I believe the title was 'The Enemy of My Enemy', where Caleb gives Sam a Journal that he hoped will help the younger Winchester with dealing with his psychic abilities. It was a journal that Mac had started on Caleb.  
I want to take this moment too to go ahead an mention I will be using references to Williamson Scott's- Stranded, this is where how Mac found Caleb a the age of twelve is from.  
I will also be mentioning a few items that can be found in Sensue's- Suitcase of Memories series. They are references that help to give background on these characters.  
I hope the author's don't mind, if I am using references to your stories that means they left an impression on me that just makes me want to expand on their reference more. Thank you to all the wonderful author's of the Brotherhood AU-I have only the greatest respect for you all.---Montez


	5. Chapter 5

That Which Does Not Kill Us...  
Chapter 5  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

A knocking on the door brought John's and Bobby's attention from the notes they were going over in Caleb's room. Exchanging glances Bobby nodded as they both pulled out their weapons, Bobby aiming his gun at the door as John approached it. They had rigged a bar on the door since Bobby had busted the handle when he kicked it in to get to John. Cautiously John looked through the peep-hole, "its Jim." he told Bobby as he removed the bar to let the Guardian enter.

Jim walked in, looking worried but determined. It was unusual for the older man to leave the farm and become directly involved in a hunt, but this was different, the Scholar and future Knight were the ones missing. "Have you found anything out yet?" Jim sat the duffle bag he was carrying down, contrary to the mild-mannered look and the way Jim carried himself as a passive person, both Bobby and John knew Jim could just as easily be as deadly as the next hunter, maybe more so.

John ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "I can barely make out the kids notes, hand writing is nearly as bad as mine. He's got police reports from when the missing people would turn up again days later. During that time they would do things completely out of character, like hanging out at the different bars in town, a couple of the guys even started fights, but took off before the cops showed up. A few days later their bodies would be found along the road leading out of town." John reached for a couple of folders laying on the table, "Caleb got a hold of the autopsy reports, it looks like the victims were severally beaten for several days, then their throats were cut, that is what is listed as the cause of death, massive blood loss."

Bobby spoke up as Jim continued to look through the folders, "We know Caleb's been missing at least a day…right?" Bobby looked at John.

"According to what Mac told me when we met up here, that would be about right…" John was cut off by Jim.

"Why was Mackland here? It was my understanding that this was Caleb's hunt." Jim didn't know that the Scholar had been involved until John called saying he was missing.

John blew out a deep breath, "He told me that he felt that something was wrong. Caleb had talked to him earlier yesterday and told him about the job, Mac said he tried to contact Caleb several times after that, because he had a bad feeling. When he couldn't get a hold of the kid he paged me, I told him I was already heading this way and we would meet up. Shortly after we got here, Caleb showed back up, or at least who we thought was Caleb." The younger hunter sat down, leaning his elbows on his knees, "I just thought Mac was being over protective again, I know he worries about the kid, hell I do too, but Caleb is capable of taking care of himself most time. I guess I was wrong this time; I should have listened to Mac when he kept saying something was off with the kid. Anyway, Caleb told us he thought he knew where the shifter was hold up so we headed out to an abandoned warehouse just outside town and that's where it got the drop on me and grabbed Mac." John stood walking toward Jim, grabbing a few papers off the table.

Jim spoke quietly, "The shifter appears to keep it's victims alive about a week before the bodies show up, however, if this thing knows Mac and Caleb are hunters I don't believe we have that much time. We know the warehouse is out, but we need to look into any other abandoned building, Robert see if you can't get into the courthouse and get a blue print of the sewer system of the town. I don't know if it would be large enough to support a lair since this is a smaller town, but it wouldn't hurt to look. Jonathon, we're going to go over this stuff again, there has to be something, Caleb learned from you how to research, I don't believe he would have missed much."

Silence settled over the room as Bobby left and Jim took a seat at the table, John on the edge of the bed, again going through the younger hunter's notes for any clues they may have missed.

-----------------------

The creature was watching the hotel from the tree line across the street. It knew more hunters would arrive to look for the missing men; it just wanted to figure out how much time it may have to finish the other men off and get out of town. "So I didn't kill you." the shifter smirked as he saw John open the door for an older man. "Okay, only two so far, I think I can handle that." The creature smiled, knowing he would have to take care of his captives soon, he was hoping for a little more time to play with his new toys, but the quick arrival of another hunter told him his time was running out. The creature turned and jogged back to Caleb's Jeep that was hidden on the small service road that led into wooded area, it never saw Bobby leave the room.

------------------------

Caleb wasn't sure how long the creature had been gone, but as he stared at the unconscious form of his father he continued to work on the binding's that held his wrist to the chair. "Come on Mac, wake up!" Caleb called across the room, he could see his father breathing, that giving him some comfort that the thing hadn't injured the man too much, but the young hunter knew their time was running out. Caleb still didn't know if John was alive or dead, but he knew that if Jim didn't hear from any of them for more than twelve hours he would start a search. The psychic knew Bobby would probably be the first to arrive in town since he was the closest hunter, when he found out what happened it would only be a matter of time before more hunters would be called into the area, searching for the missing men, but that wouldn't do them a lot of good if they didn't survive until help arrived.

His wrist had become numb as he continued to try and work the ropes loose, he noticed he was able to get a little more room and unfortunately the blood that was oozing from his wrist was helping to lubricate the rope. The only other rope holding him to the chair was one around his upper arms and chest, but he had realized it wasn't especially tight as it didn't hamper his breathing. The continued working with his wrist was paying off as he was able to slip his hand through the rope a little more, but the sound of the creature returning stopped his movement, "Mac! Wake up!" Caleb called again as the sound of a door slamming signaled the thing had again entered its basement lair.

"Yes Mac, do wake up…" the shifter neared Mac, patting his face roughly, "I wouldn't want you to miss your death." The creature looked over at Caleb. "I just came from checking out you hotel room, it appears I didn't kill your friend as I had hoped." Caleb felt a little hope swell up inside him at the thought that John was at least alive and had made it back to the hotel, hopefully calling in help. "I watched as someone else arrived, I can only assume another of your kind, which means…" the thing patted Mac's face again, the older man finally seeming to come around, "That I don't have much time and unfortunately neither do you."

---------------------

Bobby returned a short time later with the requested blue-prints, giving them a quick look Jim spoke, "I didn't think it would be big enough to support a shifter." the Pastor looked up at Bobby and John as he continued, "Jonathon and I did find that Caleb had made notes about not only the warehouse, which we know isn't it's lair, but a couple of old farm houses and a dilapidated church on the out skirts of town, all three buildings within a half mile of where most of the bodies have been showing up."

Bobby removed his hat, running his hand through his hair, "That's gonna take some time to cover all three, I assume we aren't splitting up"

John was again pacing, he hated feeling useless, he would rather be out looking, tearing the town apart in search of his friends, his family, but now that Jim had arrived he had deferred to the Guardian to call the shots. Jim spoke, "No I don't believe splitting up will be a good idea, this thing has already showed it isn't intimidated by several hunters looking for it."

"Then what the hell are we still doing standing around here, if we have possible locations lets start looking." John slammed his hand against the table, Bobby jumped slightly, but Jim didn't seem fazed by the Knight's outburst.

"Jonathon, I know how you feel, I want them back as well, but we need to make sure we don't mess this up, we need a plan. You are always the one talking of having all your bases covered; leaving as little to chance as possible, but I can't risk you and Robert, as well as Caleb and Mackland in a 'shoot first' response. Now we know we have three possible locations, we need to see if we can narrow that down. Could you please hand me the autopsy reports again, something caught my attention and I want to check it again." John handed the Pastor the folders, then went over to his duffle containing his weapons. He methodically started going through the bag, checking and double checking that all his clips were loaded with silver. John was determined that he creature wouldn't live another day, he just prayed that Mac and Caleb would.


	6. Chapter 6

That Which Does Not Kill Us...  
Chapter 6  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Mac raised his head, the pounding was worse than anything he had endured in a long time; through the fogginess he could hear his son, "Dad! Look at me!" Mac blinked several times, finally meeting the golden gaze of his son who sat twenty feet way. Caleb drew in a sharp breath through his teeth as he took in the slowly forming bruises that now covered his father's face, the older man's left eye swollen closed.

"Caleb?" Mac whispered out as he coughed, spitting blood out of his mouth. "You all right?"

It was the shifter that answered, "He's all right, for now." the thing walked behind Mac, grabbing something off a small table in the corner.

Mac watched his son as the younger man watched the creature, them as Caleb looked at Mac. Without words Caleb tried to convey to his father that he had managed to work his bindings loose enough that he could get out of them. Mac nodded in understanding, as neither of them were in any shape to use their psychic abilities. The Scholar mouthed the word 'wait' to his son, hoping the younger man wouldn't get to hasty and do something that would get him hurt further. Caleb gave a subtle nod, letting his father know he understood, the young hunter was watching for the right time to show his hand, when the creature would least suspect.

Caleb's expression changed when he saw what the shifter had picked up, it was the silver knife he carried in his boot, the six inch blade gleaming in the dim light. Caleb was reevaluating his plan as the creature came to stand between father and son. Looking at Mac he smirked, "Now, after you started your little nap a while ago, I stepped out for a while and I left a question for your son to contemplate. I asked him…" The thing waved the knife between the two restrained men, "Whom I should kill first? If I should kill you…" He pointed the knife toward Mac, "in front of him or should I kill him in front of you." the thing approached Caleb, placing the end of the blade under the young hunters chin, causing Caleb to have to raise his head to meet the creatures gaze.

"DON'T!" Mac called out, "Look just let us go, you can get away, we won't come looking for you, just let us go." The creature laughed.

"You really think I'll let two more hunter, people who know exactly how to find and kill my kind, live?" The shifter moved away from Caleb walking slowly toward Mac. The young hunter looked at his father and saw the diversion for what it was; slowly he started to slip his hands from the loosened restraints. "There are at least two more of you in town; I could only guess that more may be coming. I was just beginning to have fun with the two of you, but your friends pulled together quicker than I thought they would, which has caused me to _cut…"_ The creature ran the blade down Mac's arm to emphasize the word 'cut', "my time short…"

Caleb reacted to the sound of his father's yelp of pain as the creature cut into his arm, jerking his arms from the restraints, pulling the rope over his head, the young hunter rushed at the shifter that was now holding the knife close to Mac's chest. "You son of a …" Caleb growled out as he rushed the creature.

Mac saw a moment of shock on the things face, but what happened next would forever haunt Mac's nightmares. Just as Caleb reached the shifter it turned and the knife it held in its hand buried itself into his son's stomach. "CALEB!" Mac yelled as he watched his son's angered expression turn to shock as the creature pushed the younger man back, Caleb's hands going to the bleeding wound on his stomach. The young hunter stumbled back a couple of steps as his gaze locked onto Mac's, fear clearly visible in the older man's face as tears filled his gray eyes. "Caleb!"

Caleb stared for a second, then looked down at his hands, pulling them from his shirt, blood covering them. Looking back at Mac as the shifter took a step toward him, Caleb whispered, "Dad?" before his knees gave out, dropping him to the dirty concrete floor. Mac watched as his son curled into himself, the creature standing over him, then slowly kneeling down, looking into Caleb's unfocused gaze, "I would have gotten to you soon enough, but maybe once I dump your body it will buy me some more time…" The thing glanced at Mac, "I think we may have a little longer to have some more fun now." the creature stood up, kicking Caleb in the stomach, causing the younger man to yell out in pain.

"STOP! FOR GOD"S SAKE STOP!" Mac's voice chocked with emotion, his focus never leaving his son. The young man's face crunched in the grimace of pain. "Caleb!"

Mac watched as his son struggled to open his eyes, the young hunter's golden gaze meeting his father's for just a moment before his eyes slid shut and his body relaxed, becoming deathly still. "CALEB!…CALEB!" Mac yelled again as the creature went to pick the injured man up. "Leave him alone you bastard!"

The creature smiled at the distress in the father's face and voice, "Sorry, but I need his body to throw your friends off track, but don't worry…" The thing smirked at he pulled Caleb toward the door, "I'll be back to finish with you in a little while."

Mac felt bile rising in his throat as he watched the shifter dragging his son up the stairs. He couldn't tell if his son was still alive, he could only pray he was and that the hunter's the creature had seen in town would find Caleb in time. Mac didn't know if John was still alive, or who the hunters were, but it did give him some small comfort that help was in the area, whether they were able to find him in time didn't matter as long as they found Caleb. Tears fell from the father's eyes as the finally images of his son's lifeless body being drug from the room played over and over like a taunting nightmare that he couldn't wake from.

------------------

"I got it!" Jim nearly shouted, grabbing his bag from the table, heading for the door. Without being told Bobby and John followed.

"Got what? Where are we going?" John asked as they raced toward the vehicles, Jim opening the door on the passenger side of the Impala, leaving the rental at the hotel, Bobby stopping next to the Chevy, waiting to find out where they were going.

Jim looked over the roof of the car at John and Bobby, "The church, its lair is at the church."

"How do you know?" Bobby asked.

"In the autopsy reports it makes reference to an oily substance found on several of the bodies, mostly around the face, where a majority of the bruising was. The oil had traces of balsam, myrrh and cassia, in some denominations those are ingredients in holy oils, Anointing oils." Bobby nodded; he didn't need further explanation as he ran toward his truck, John and Jim climbing into the Impala.

"So what, this thing uses holy oil in some type of ritual?" John didn't understand the connection.

As the Impala's engine rumbled to life, John put it in gear as they peeled out of the parking lot. "I don't think so, there were only traces." Jim continued. "I think maybe some was left over when the church was abandoned, maybe on some material or cloth that was left and it could have transferred onto the victims without the shifter even knowing it. From what I could tell no one thought much of it in those reports, it's a side note."

John pushed the car faster as Bobby kept pace behind them, "Let's hope your right because I have a feeling we're running out of time."

--------------------

Mac had willed himself not to throw-up, the endless replay of what had just happened to his son, only feet from him was playing in an continuous loop through his mind; the shocked expression, the blood on his son's hands and shirt, the younger man dropping to the floor. Then watching as his son's eyes slid shut, his body going limp. Mac prayed his son was still alive, but he didn't know for sure and with the beating he had taken he wasn't able to use his psychic abilities. Caleb had been the only person that Mac could focus on and know instantly where he was and how he was, but that 'gift' was failing him now as he was in no shape to link with his son.

The banging of the door opening heralded the reappearance of the shifter that very well could be the killer of his son. "Daddy…I'm home…" the thing smirked as he swaggered into the room, still wearing Caleb's face, making the pain Mac was feeling all the worse. "You know, I had been planning on killing you first, but he just had to jump the gun and ruin my plans." the thing stopped a few feet from Mac, spreading its arms in an 'ole well' gesture. "But what do they say about 'best laid plans'? Well I guess I can shed this skin now…" the creature leaned in toward Mac, almost whispering, "It's so hard to maintain the form of someone who's dead." The shifter laughed at the devastated look on Mac's face at the mention that his son was dead.

The creature took a few steps back as Mac watched its skin start to ripple, the thing dropping down to its knees as the jet-black hair that matched his son's started to fall away as the creature started to pull at the skin it was shedding. Mac had to look away as the image of his son melted away and the form of a brown-haired woman slowly took its place. Wordlessly the creature stood, leaving a slimy puddle of shed skin, as it walked to the corner of the room to retrieve the discarded women's clothing. A few moments later it returned to Mac's line of sight dressed in blue jeans and a low-cut blouse. "What do you think?" the woman's voice spoke, sounding out of place after having watched the creature transform. "Your son seemed interested enough." Mac's heart sunk at the though that the creature had used one of his son's weaknesses against him.

-------------------

The three hunters were making good time getting to the abandoned church when Jim shout, "Stop the car!" with little warning to Bobby behind him, John slammed on the breaks at Jim's command, Bobby turning sideways to avoid a collision. Before John could get the car in gear Jim was out of the vehicle racing toward the edge of the road. John and Bobby quickly joining him, gun's drawn. "Caleb!" The hunter's hearts froze at the name the Pastor had called. The scene that greeted them would haunt them for years; Bobby and John watched as Jim knelt in the grass, slowly turning over the limp form of the young hunter. John stepped forward as he yelled to Bobby, "Get the first-aid kit from the car, now!" Bobby raced back to the Impala as John knelt beside Jim, who was reaching for the younger man's neck.

"Looks like he took a hell of a beating." John spoke as he noticed the bruising on Caleb's face. "Is he alive?"

"His pulse is weak," Jim responded, he went to lay his hand on the younger man's chest when his it came in contact with something wet, "Oh, my God." Jim whispered as he raised his hand, which was covered in blood. Quickly he raised Caleb's shirt, exposing the stab wound that was still bleeding.

"Shit!" John reached for the wound, pressing down with his bare hands. Both men exchanged looks of fear when there was no reaction from Caleb at the pressure being applied.

Bobby returned with the kit, dropping onto the ground next to the three men. Jim grabbed the bag and pulled out one of the pressure bandages that John carried, "Here", Jim pushed the item to Caleb's stomach as John moved his hands back. A few minutes of silence settled over the men as John and Jim continued to try and control the bleeding.

Once the bandage was secured Bobby spoke, "He needs a hospital, but if there's a chance Mac's still alive, we are closer to the church than to help."

John glanced at Bobby as the man stated the obvious; the hunter was torn by what he should do. Both his friend's lives were in jeopardy and he didn't know if he could make the decision to sacrifice one to save the other. John's only goal was to save them both, but it was Jim's voice that broke through, taking the decision out of the Knight's hands and placing it into the Guardian's.


	7. Chapter 7

That Which Does Not Kill Us…  
Chapter 7  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

After watching the shifter, by its own admission, kill his son, then as the thing shed the image of the younger man it had worn throughout his captivity, Mac decided that if he was going to die anyway, he would no longer react to the creatures taunts. The older man focused on the smiling face of his son, pulling a happier memory, rather than the last one that had burned itself into his mind. If his son was dead, he wanted to remember the happier times they had together before he, himself, died. This seemed to infuriate the shifter, its clear goal was to inflict as much mental pain as physical pain and when Mac quiet reacting to it's ranting it stepped up on the physical attack.

After a certain point Mac became almost numb to the pain, the pain of watching his son die was more than enough to drown out everything else around him. It wasn't until the banging of a door and shouting started around him that Mac attempted to focus on his surroundings. His vision was impaired as his left eye had swollen shut, his right eye close behind. He felt the creature cut his bindings and even though the image of the small woman it had shifted into looked to small to restrain his larger stature, he felt himself being pulled to his feet. It was the sting of a knife blade cutting into the tender skin of his neck that brought Mac's senses to the present. Through his blurred vision he could make out two forms approaching cautiously. Finally Jim's voice filtered through, "Mackland? Can you hear me?"

"Jim?" Mac whispered as he felt himself pulled backwards. The Pastor's voice could be heard again, but it was talking to someone else.

"You need to let him go, you may just make it out of here alive if you do." Jim watched as the shifter, still in the form of a young woman, seemed to have no problem holding up Mac as a shield between itself and the two hunters that had just burst through the doorway of the basement.

A chill went through the two hunters as the creature laughed. "You expect me to believe I'll walk away from this. I've already killed one of your kind today, I see the only way I don't kill your friend is if you let me leave."

It was John that spoke next, "You know we can't do that." Jim and John stepped closer as the creature inched its way toward the other entrance to the basement, the two doors that lead straight to the outside.

"Then I guess you bury another friend." the creature said coldly as Mac felt the bite of the knife as it cut across his throat, the shifter pushing him toward the two advancing hunters, as it bolted up the stairs, pushing open the outside door. It was the sound of two gun shots in quick succession that told Jim and John that Bobby had put an end to the shifter as it stepped through the basement doors.

"Mackland!" Jim shouted, just as John shouted "Mac" both men having watched as the creature pulled the knife across the Scholar's throat before it pushed him forward, Jim catching the falling hunter. Easing Mac to the ground Jim put his hand against the bleeding wound that was on the hunter's neck. "Mackland?" Jim spoke again, receiving no response, as John dropped the duffle from his back to the floor, pulling out a bandage. The Pastor pulled his hand back as they quickly covered the wound, giving a little thanks that there was no spraying of blood, hopefully meaning the shifter hadn't cut Mac's neck deep enough to have hit an artery.

Bobby came in behind them, pulling the body of the shifter back into the basement, before dropping it and rushing over to check on Mac. "How is he?"

John looked up as Jim continued to try and get Mac to respond, "Bastard cut his throat."

"Damn it!" Bobby pulled his hat off, hitting his leg with it. "He's alive right?"

Jim looked up at the two men, "We need to get him and Caleb to the hospital, help me get him to the car. Robert I want you to take care of this then meet us there." Bobby reached down to help Jim and John get Mac up and out to the car. He knew exactly how Jim wanted this taken care of; he would burn the place to the ground, the shifter's body along with it.

-----------------

Four hours later found Jim sitting in Mac's room at the local hospital as John stayed outside the ICU waiting to see Caleb, Bobby floating between men. When John and Jim had first arrived the explanation of a bar fight sufficed the doctors as Caleb was rushed to surgery, worry of the depth of the wound, as well as, the blood loss being an issue on whether the young hunter would live through the night.

Mac's wound fortunately wasn't as bad as they had first feared. The neck wound was not deep enough to do any real damage, but requiring several stitches. Scan's and x-rays had been done on the Scholar's battered face, the damage being a broken nose and several superficial contusions, the swelling already going down on his left eye, with help of cold packs that Jim would hold on the unconscious man's face for twenty minutes at time.

As it neared the five hour mark John pushed open the door to Mac's room, his face drawn with worry as Bobby followed him. "How's Caleb?" Jim asked, almost fearing the answer.

John sat down, blowing out a deep breath, "He made it through surgery, I only got to see him for a few minutes. The doctor said he was lucky because the angle of the wound allowed the knife to miss all his major organs. Their main concern is the amount of blood he lost and whether an infection will set up. They've got him on antibiotics and are giving him blood; the good news is that he is breathing on his own." John ran his hand over his face, "The doctor said that fact that Caleb's young and in good health will help, but they won't know anything for sure for at least twenty-four hours. They think if an infection is going to set up it will by then." Leaning forward John looked at Mac, "How's he doing?"

Jim removed the ice pack he had been holding on the hunter's face, "Broken nose, a lot of bruising. The cut on his throat wasn't as bad as we thought. He's got a mild concussion, that's why he hasn't woken up yet." the Pastor walked across the room, leaning against the counter next to Bobby, "Were you able to take care of the area?"

"Yeah, no chance of that thing being found, I left the building smoldering. There shouldn't be any trace of what happened there." Bobby rubbed his tired eyes. "I was gonna head back, clear out Caleb's hotel room, then get us a couple of rooms at the motel across the street from here."

"That's a good idea; we should stay with them in shifts. One of us needs to be with Mackland at all times, it's possible he believes Caleb is dead. And one of us should stay near the ICU, so we can check on Caleb, he could very well think the same thing about Mackland."

John and Bobby nodded as the gruff hunter left the room, John looked at his watch. "It's about time to see Caleb again, do you want to go or you want me too?"

Jim looked at Mac, then back at John. "I'd like to see him; I can't get the image of finding him lifeless out of my head. I know he's still unconscious, but maybe seeing him on the mend will help." John nodded in agreement; he had felt the same way until he had gotten to see his protégé.

"We'll get them through this." John spoke up as he stood, moving to take a seat in the chair closer to Mac's bed. Jim giving him a tired smile as he left the room.

-------------------------

Hour ten found Jim back in Mac's room; John and Bobby had taken turns visiting with Caleb as each hourly visitation time came around. So far the young man's condition had remained the same, 'critical but stable'. The doctor's were pleased there was no sign of infection so far. They were keeping Caleb sedated, allowing his body to rest and heal. At first Jim had said they would rotate, each man taking a few hour break while the other two would sit with their fallen comrades, but Jim found it almost impossible to leave Mac's side. The Pastor worried about what mental or emotional state the Scholar would be in once he came around. Jim believed it was quiet possible that Mac could have witnessed some, if not all, of the attack against Caleb and once the shifter had left the young hunter's blooded and bruised body along the side of the road, it had probably tormented Mac with the fact he couldn't save his son. Jim felt it would be best if he remained by the psychic's side until he woke, hoping Mac would believe him when he told him Caleb was indeed alive.

Jim had just stood to walk around the room, stretching his tired body when a low moan came from the man in the bed, quickly stepping back to the bed; Jim leaned over the waking hunter, "Mackland? Can you hear me?"


	8. Chapter 8

That Which Does Not Kill Us…  
Chapter 8  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Mac came back to awareness slowly, his mind foggy as the pain in his head and body begged to be relieved by the return of unconsciousness. But it was the sound of Jim's voice, distant at first, which filtered through the darkness. The Scholar wasn't prepared for the rush of images and feelings that hit him, causing his breath to hitch, an incessant beeping in the background increasing alone with his respiration.

"Mackland, listen to me, you need to calm down. I need you to open your eyes and look at me, Mackland?" Jim placed his hand on the younger man's head, gently squeezing his arm, hoping to focus his attention.

Jim turned as a nurse came in the door, alerted by the increase of Mac's heart rate. The Pastor turned his attention back to his friend as he spoke to the young woman who was starting to take Mac's vitals, "He's waking up."

The nurse looked at Jim, "I paged the doctor before I came in, but until then I need you to keep talking to him, see if he will respond to you." She reached up and pulled the oxygen mask from the wall, placing it over Mac's nose and mouth.

Jim leaned close to Mac's ear, "Mackland, I need you to calm down and breathe. Can you do that for me? Listen to me, Caleb's alive, I don't know what you saw, but you need to believe me, he's still alive."

Jim watched as tears spilled from the still closed eyes of his friend as Mac started to shake his head back and forth, muffled words escaping between ragged breaths, "stabbed…it said…" Mac's breath hitched again, emotion not letting Jim's words filter through the pain, "dumped his body…Caleb…" Mac's breathing started to even out as he slipped back into unconsciousness just as the doctor arrived.

The Pastor ran his hand through his hair at the thought of Mac still not knowing or believing his son was alive. The doctor looked at Jim once the nurse relayed the necessary information. "His vitals are stabilizing. His son was the young man brought in with him, with the stab wound, right?" Jim nodded. "Was he witness to the attack?"

"I believe so, the person that did this, taunted him, saying he had killed his son." Jim sat down in the chair next to the bed. "I was hoping he would be able to understand me."

The doctor walked over and sat next to Jim, "With his concussion, as well as, the beating he took, he may not even remember waking up this time. His mind is reacting to the last memories he has and if believing his son's dead was his last thoughts, then it will be necessary that every time he wakes up you continue to tell him his son is alive. It may be several more hours before he is coherent enough to completely understand what you're saying." the doctor glanced at his patient, "Once he is more aware and able to stay awake for longer periods we can see about having him visit his son."

The doctor stood, as did Jim, following him to the door, "Thank you." Jim shook the man's hand, who then turned to leave. The Guardian returned to his chair next to the bed, waiting for the next time Mac would wake.

------------------------

It was another three hours and two more semi-conscious episodes that Jim endured before the quiet voice of Mackland Ames, brought him from his thoughts about a dark-haired hunter who remained in the ICU. "Jim?"

The Pastor stood, leaning over Mac, "Are you with me this time?" Jim noted that just the look in the Scholar's eyes, he could tell he was a bit more coherent this time.

"Caleb? Please Jim…" The older man watched as tears filled Mac's eyes as he begged for Jim to tell him that his son was still alive.

Jim laid his hand on Mac's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "He's alive Mackland…"

"Oh God…" Mac spoke quietly, a shaken breath released, "It said…I didn't know, please how bad?"

The Pastor's calm voice answered the terrified father, "He's in ICU, he made it through surgery without any problems. Fortunately the knife missed all of his major organs, he has severe bruising from the beating but their main concern was the blood loss and infection. However, they do have him on antibiotics and are giving him blood, he is breathing on his own. Jonathon and Robert have been visiting with him."

Mac brought both of his hands to his face, blowing out another shaky breath. "When he went still, I thought…God I thought he was dead. That thing…" Mac spit out the word, "It shed his image in front of me, telling me it was hard to maintain a connection to someone who was dead."

Mac went to raise up, but Jim stopped him, "Easy, here…" the Pastor found the button to raise the bed, "take it easy, you took a pretty good beating yourself."

The Scholar reached for his throat, vaguely remembering a stinging sensation before he passed out in the basement. "How bad am I?"

Jim returned to his seat, next to the bed. "The wound on your neck wasn't deep enough to cause any serious damage, but you needed several stitches, you also have a broken nose, a mild concussion and severe bruising, mainly on your face. You've been in and out of consciousness for the last fifteen hours or so."

"When can I see Caleb?" Mac asked.

"Your doctor will want to see you first, then we can see when the next visiting time is for the ICU." Jim stood to reach the button to call for the nurse. After informing her that Mac was awake and more coherent this time, she said she would be right in and that the doctor was being paged.

A few silent minutes passed before Mac spoke again, "How did you find him?" Jim wasn't surprised that Mac was again asking about his son. Jim recalled the look on Mac's face as John and he busted into the basement of the church. It was a look Jim prayed he never again saw on his friends face, it was a look the Pastor had seen a few times in his life, it was of someone who had lost all hope and was waiting to die.

"Mackland, I don't think now is the time to discuss this." The Guardian didn't want to tell the man that they had found his son, near death, face-down in a ditch, along the deserted road leading to the church.

"How Jim?" Mac's voice sounding stronger than the younger man looked.

Jim ran his hand over his face as he looked at his friend. "We found him face-down in a ditch on the road leading to the abandoned church."

The Pastor watched as Mac lost what little color he had, Jim rushed to the hunter's side, as Mac gagged, barely getting the kidney-shaped basin under his chin as the Scholar threw-up.

Jim heard the door open as the nurse quickly appeared at the bedside, offering a clean basin, taking the one the Pastor was holding, as he rubbed circles on the younger man's back, offering what little comfort he could.

-----------

It was nearly an hour before Mac's doctor would consider allowing his patient to visit his son. It was the threat that the Scholar would walk himself to the ICU that finally convinced the doctor to allow Jim to wheel the younger man to the unit. Mac's doctor called ahead to make sure the staff knew the injured man would be coming and to allow both him and the Pastor back to see Caleb.

John and Bobby stood when they saw Mac exit the elevator, Jim pushing the wheel chair. "Glad to see you awake." John gently squeezed his friend's shoulder, Bobby offering a silent nod.

"How's Caleb?" Mac asked quietly as the two hunters continued to follow Jim as he pushed Mac toward the doors that would allow him access to his Son.

"Doctor's are saying that everything looks good, so far no infection and his blood count is getting back to normal." John answered as they stopped at the door, the Pastor pushing the button to have the nurse buzz them through the doors. John spoke again as they waited, "Look Mac…"

The Scholar cut the younger man off, "I need to see my son." With that the door clicked, Jim pulled it open, Bobby holding it as the Guardian pushed Mac through, silence filling the hallway as John and Bobby watched the door close.


	9. Chapter 9

That Which Does Not Kill Us  
Chapter 9  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Mac really didn't know what to expect, but it was the lack of equipment that surprised him. There was the IV bag as well as the blood his son was being given, an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth; the father could also make out leads going from a heart monitor, under the covers, to his son's chest. The small pulse-ox meter clipped to a finger on Caleb's right hand and what Mac took to be a drain tube leading from the wound in his stomach to a small bag hanging on the side of the bed. The Pastor stopped Mac's chair next to his son's bed, then the older man placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'll be right outside." a subtle nod was all Jim received in reply as the Pastor stepped back toward the nurse's desk.

Leaning forward, Mac reached and took his son's hand. It had been the first time since the terrible ordeal began that the Scholar had physically touched his son. The warmth of Caleb's hand offered the father some comfort as again the image of his son dropping to the ground after the stabbing, followed by the deathly stillness flooded his mind. "Oh God Caleb." Mac whispered as tears escaped his eyes.

Mac turned at the sound of someone entering the cubical. The middle aged man approached, holding his hand out, "I'm Dr. Greenwell, I'm Caleb's doctor while he's with us in ICU, you must be his father Dr. Ames?"

The Scholar returned the handshake as his gaze went back to his still son. "How's Caleb doing, really?" Mac worried that maybe Jim was hiding something from him.

Dr. Greenwell flipped through Caleb's chart, checking the last readings the nurse's had taken, then pulled a chair up next to Mac. "Dr. Ames, your son sustained a serious stab wound. He was very lucky that the blade managed to miss all of his vital organs, but there was substantial blood loss, only in the past few hours have we been able to get his vitals to a stable enough level that his blood pressure finally came back into the normal range. I am pleased by the fact that there have been no signs of infection. Your son is a very healthy young man and that has helped in his recovery tremendously. He will need a few weeks of rest as his wound continues to heal, but baring any unforeseen complications I believe Caleb will make a full recovery."

The doctor saw relief pass over the father's face at the good news. Mac rubbed his eyes and he continued to hold on to Caleb's hand, "What about the beating he took? Did that do any damage?"

"Only minor contusions, he will have an impressive black-eye, there are some bruised ribs but nothing is broken." The doctor replied.

"Do you know when he will wake up?" Mac would not be satisfied until he saw the golden gaze of his son once again.

"We have scaled back on the sedatives now that we are coming to the end of the crucial twenty-four hour window, it will take a couple more hours for the drugs to work there way out of his system, but after that it will only be a matter of time. We will probably be moving him to general population in about six hours now that his vitals have stabilized." The doctor stood. "I can speak with your doctor and see about having him moved to your room if you wish."

Mac looked at the doctor, a little light returning to his eyes, "Please."

The doctor smiled, "I'll see about it now. Considering everything you and your son have been through, I'll inform the nurses that you may stay with him for a little longer, I'll speak with your doctor and see how long he wants you up."

"Thank you…for everything." Mac said as he looked from Dr. Greenwell back to his son.

Once the doctor left the room Jim stepped through the curtain. "Well, what did the doctor say?" Jim claimed the seat the doctor had vacated.

"He said Caleb will be all right and that hopefully he will wake up in the next few hours, once the sedative works its way out of his system." Jim watched as Mac tried to stand. The Pastor quickly stood to assist his friend. Once Mac had a firm grip on the side of the bed, Jim took a step back as the father placed his hand on the top of his son's head, the near jet-black hair slipping through his fingers. "I almost lost him, I thought I had…" Jim listened as Mac continued. "When I saw him go still I thought I had failed him. I promised him I wouldn't let anything hurt him and that monster nearly took my son from me." Mac continued to run his finger through the short hair of his son. "I didn't even realize he had gotten his hair cut." His voice taking on a longing, quiet tone, the tone of a parent dealing with the ultimate 'what could have happened'? "It's been a few weeks since we've seen each other and he still had his long hair."

The Scholar glanced at the Guardian. "That creature, it told Caleb that I thought it was him when I rounded that corner in the warehouse and saw it standing over John…" A tear slipped from Mac's eye. "Caleb told me to tell the shifter it was wrong, that I knew it wasn't him, but I couldn't…" The hunter ran his hand over his face, "God Jim for a moment in that warehouse I did actually think I was watching Caleb." Mac eased himself back into his chair as Jim returned to his; the father still had a firm hold of his son's hand. "That has always been his biggest fear, that somehow he would turn on those around him, like his father did and now he probably thinks I think he will." Mac tried to clear the emotion clogging his throat, "It told him about the Journal."

Jim knew of the journal that Mac had started keeping on his son once Caleb had come to live with him. It was Mac's way of trying to help Caleb through the 'training' of his abilities. Mac had started the book because in all his research on his own psychic abilities the Scholar had never run across information on a psychic as powerful as Caleb appeared to be, even at a young age. The twelve-year old child that had come into Mac's life had the ability to psychically call out over great distances, Caleb had inadvertently contacted Missouri Moseley in Kansas while Caleb himself was in New York, of course at the time the boy didn't know he was doing it. It was that connection that had led Jim to New York to contact Mac who finally found the young boy in a psychiatric hospital. Once Caleb had come to live with Mac they learned that Caleb could also read other's thoughts, with training he was able to control some of the brain functions of others, such as cutting off the oxygen supply to another person, Caleb called it his 'Vader' effect.

Then there were the 'death visions' the boy was prone to, an uncontrollable vision that could come through with disturbing clarity, leaving the young man exhausted and wracked with guilt when he couldn't stop them. Mac had been so overwhelmed with just how powerful his son was that he had taken to writing everything down, making notes about when certain relaxation techniques worked and when they didn't. The Scholar had kept track of how much control Caleb would gain with his abilities, how his emotional state would affect the strengths and weaknesses of his gifts. He also included person notes to his son, notes of his own fears and worries as a father, of his own doubts about himself, feeling he was somehow failing Caleb as a father. The Scholar had written about how proud he was of the young man his son was becoming, of how much Mac cared about his son, how much he loved him. Mac was always good at letting his son know how he felt about him, but there were always things that were easier said when written down. Mac was planning on giving his son the journal when he graduated from college, so the young man could continue with his own notes, thoughts and feelings.

Jim laid a hand on his friends shoulder, "Once he see's it he will know it was only to help him, to help you both. You will have a chance to tell him, there is nothing that will change the way Caleb feels about you, just like I believe there is nothing he could do that will change the way you feel for him. You two have a bond that only the two of you can understand, that's how you knew something was wrong, that's what brought you here to start with, do not let the torturous ramblings of one of the evil creatures we hunt plant any seeds of doubt about what you two share. Believe me Mackland, once you explain about the Journal he will understand and even if he's angry that you never told him about it, he will be grateful for it in the long run."

Silence filled the cubical as Mac continued to watch his son sleep. Jim stepped out to inform John and Bobby that Caleb was on the road to recovery.

---------------------------

About thirty minutes later Jim returned with Dr. Greenwell who informed Mac that his doctor wanted him to return to his room. It was only with the reassurance that Caleb would soon arrive to share the room that Mac allowed Jim to take him back. Mac's doctor was waiting in the Scholar's room when he returned, "I know it was difficult to leave your son's side, but I need to think of your well being as well Dr. Ames. I need to examine you again and then I want you to try and rest. Dr. Greenwell informed me that it will still be a couple of hours before your son can be moved, I hope you will use that time to rest." Mac allowed Jim to help him back into the bed, the Scholars body aching from the beating.

Once the doctor left the room, Jim stood beside Mac's bed. "He's right Mackland; you should take this time to rest. If I know you, once Caleb is in this room, you won't sleep until he wakes up." the Pastor offered a little smile, now that his family was on the road to recovery. "I'm going to go get Jonathon and Robert and convince them it is all right to head back to the motel and rest. I'll also have them bring some your's and Caleb's things back when they come back."

Jim sat in the chair a few feet from the bed, Mac blinked heavily, desperately trying to fight the exhausting that was begging for his attention. "You should get some rest as well, you probably haven't left here since we arrived, now have you?" Mac watched as Jim shook his head, another smile tugging at his mouth.

"Are you sure?" Jim stood again, "I'll stay if you need me to."

"I think I will actually try and rest, I want to be alert when they bring Caleb in, you should get some rest also." Mac stifled a yawn.

Placing a hand on Mac's shoulder, Jim gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be back in a couple hours, I've left the motel number with the nurses, if you need anything have them call."

Mac nodded as he laid his head back, his mind finally giving into what his body had been begging for, as his eye's slipped shut Jim quietly left the room.


	10. Chapter 10

That Which Does Not Kill Us  
Chapter 10  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Three hours later, Mac was awaken by the sound of his door being opened, as he rubbed his hand over his face, he was able to focus on the back of an orderly as the young man helped wheel in the hospital bed containing Caleb. Moving to the edge of his own bed Mac watched the nurse begin adjusting the IV lines and reconnecting the heart monitor. A few seconds later Dr. Greenwell as well as Dr. Larson, Mac's doctor, came in the room.

"I hope you were able to get some sleep Dr. Ames." Dr. Larson asked as he neared his patient.

"A little…" Mac answered than directed his attention to his son's doctor, "How's Caleb doing?"

Dr. Greenwell came to stand next to Mac's bed as the nurse finished getting Caleb situated, "Everything is looking good Dr. Ames. Your son's blood pressure has been steady the last several hours, there is still no sign of infection and that is the last unit of blood we are planning on giving him. The sedative should just about be out of his system. It should only be a matter of hours before he wakes up."

Dr. Larson looked at Mac as he started to stand, "Dr. Ames, I don't want you over taxing yourself. It's important that you remember that you were injured as well and need to rest. It's only because of the traumatic incident that you and your son experienced that I agreed to allow him to be moved in here, but if you push yourself I may have to consider moving your son to another room."

"Don't worry Doc; we'll keep an eye on him for ya." It was Bobby Singer's voice that answered the doctor's concern as the men in the room watched the three hunters enter. John and Bobby each carrying a bag, one with Mac's things, the other with Caleb's, Jim followed carrying a drink carrier containing three cups of coffee.

Both doctor's were familiar with the three men that entered Mac's room as they each had dealt with the men on a number of occasions during the recovery of their respective patients. It was Dr. Greenwell that spoke next, "I can see we will be leaving our patients in very capable hands, if experience tells me anything." The doctor glanced at John and Bobby as he remembered having to deal with the very persistent and intimidating men while they waited to be allowed to see Caleb in the ICU.

Mac looked at his friends, "John could you move that chair over here for me?" John sat Caleb's bag on the small table, then slide the chair next to the bed. Mac slowly took a seat then reached up and took Caleb's hand in his as he leaned back in the chair. John joined Bobby and Jim as they followed the doctors out into the hall.

Jim spoke as the five men stopped, "How are they doing?"

Dr. Greenwell spoke first, "Caleb is doing much better, as I told his father, the sedative should be out of his system and he could wake at anytime. His blood pressure has been stable for several hours and there isn't any sign of infection. I believe Caleb should make a full recovery, but it will be several weeks before he can resume any normal activities."

John and Bobby exchanged glances at the doctor's comment about 'normal activities', if that doctor only knew what passed for 'normal' within the unconventional family he would probably never leave his house. Jim ignored the two hunters as Dr. Larson took up where Dr. Greenwell left off. "Dr. Ames is recovering well and will probably be released tomorrow. There doesn't seem to be any problems with the stitches, the scaring will be minimal, but he can always see a plastic surgeon if he has a problem with it. My only concern is getting him to rest; his body needs time to heal. It may also be a good idea if both Dr. Ames and his son speak with someone about the incident, there could be emotional ramifications from what they experienced. But that will be an options offered to them before discharge, it will be their decision if they wish to speak with someone or not."

Jim glanced at the closed door knowing that the men on the other side would need to talk, but mostly to one another; of course Jim and John would remain close if needed. "They will have people to talk to if they feel the need, I personally think that they will draw strength from one another once Caleb wakes up."

"Of course. If you need anything or have any further questions, please page me, now that Caleb has been moved down here I will be overseeing his care as well as Dr. Ames's." Dr. Larson held out his hand.

Jim taking it, "Thank you both, for everything." he then shook Dr. Greenwell's hand as the two doctor's turned and headed down the hallway.

Silently the three hunter's reentered the room, Mac having not moved from his son's side. Each man took what seats they could find, giving father and son some space, but being close enough if they were needed. Together the family waited for their youngest member to awaken.

----------------

It had been four hours since Caleb had been moved to his father's room, John and Bobby had left to get something to eat. Jim remained as Mac had not moved from his spot, next to his son, a firm grip on the young man's hand. The Pastor had noted that Mac's head had drooped slightly as the man would doze off for a few minutes at a time. As Jim neared Mac jerked awake, looking around before his eye's settled again on his son. The Guardian laid a gentle hand on the father's shoulder, "Mackland, I'm going to get some coffee, are you going to be all right?"

"Yes…" Mac cleared his throat, "Yes, I'll be fine, you don't have to stay here you know."

A gentle squeeze accompanied Jim's response, "I know, I'll return shortly." Silently Jim left the room.

Mac straightened himself in the uncomfortable chair, taking his free hand and covering his eyes as he rubbed his thumb and finger against his temples.

"Dad?" The quiet raspy voice of his son had Mac quickly focusing on Caleb as he pulled himself up, standing next to the bed, leaning over Caleb.

"I'm right here Son," Mac felt tears fill his eyes as that word had been the last one to escape his son's lips before the young man collapsed after he was stabbed.

The father ran his hand over the top of the young man's head as he watched his son slowly blink his eye's open. A low moan escaped Caleb's mouth as the light from the room made him close his eyes again, pain shooting through his head, "Shit…" Caleb tried to move his hand to cover his face.

Mac felt a spike of fear as he could hear the pain in the curse that escaped his son, "Caleb? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

"Headache…too bright." The young man mumbled out, "Dad, what happened? Why am I in a hospital?"

"What do you remember?" Mac watched as his son's forehead pinched as he attempted to open his eyes again, slowly focusing on his father's face.

"God Dad, what the hell happened to you?" Caleb's memories were foggy as he took in the battered face of his father. Then Mac watched as his son's eyes opened wider as images started to come back to the young hunter, "The shifter, jeez, are you all right?" Caleb's fear of what he remembered had him attempting to sit up, before Mac could put his hand on the young man's shoulder to stop him. The young hunter cried out in pain as his wound made itself known, "Auh, damnit…" was mumbled through clinched teeth.

Mac tried to comfort his son, "Easy Son, you were stabbed, do you remember? They had to do surgery, but you have to take it easy so you don't reopen the incision." Mac again rubbed his hand over his son's head, trying to offer comfort, "Do you want me to get the nurse, get you something for the pain?" Mac was already reaching for the call button when his son's hand stopped him.

"Don't, just give me a minute." Caleb attempted to breathe through the burning sensation radiating from his stomach. He was remembering the attack and that his father had also been held captive by the shape shifter he had been researching, he remembered the thing beating his father until the older man was unconscious, then the thing cutting his father, holding a knife to the older man's chest. As he was finally getting his pain under minimal control he opened his eyes too look at his father again. "Are you okay?"

Mac sat on the side of his son's bed, "I am now that you're awake. I thought I lost you." a tear escaped the Scholar's eye, not unnoticed by his son. "It told me that you were dead…"

"I'm here Dad, I'm not going anywhere" Caleb squeezed his father's hand that still held tightly to his. "Can I sit up a little?" Mac found the bed controls and raised his son only a little, not wanting to put any pressure on his incision until the doctor got a chance to look him over. "God, what happened to your neck?" Once Caleb was able to sit up a bit he saw the bandage taped to his father's neck.

"It looks worse than it is," Mac unconsciously reached for the gauze, "Apparently it tried to use me as a distraction to escape when Jim, John and Bobby found me." Mac watched as Caleb attempted to fight the pull of sleep, "We can talk more later, I'm just so glad you've finally woken up, you need to rest, we both are going to be fine."

The Scholar watched as his son's eyes involuntarily started to close. "Don't go, okay?" the slurred words reminded Mac of the few times when his son was younger and he would get sick. Caleb was one of those people who didn't get sick much, but when he did it was bad. It had surprised the young boy the first time he had become ill after moving in with Mac. The doctor had cancelled his appointments that day and stayed home taking care of his foster son who was running a hundred and three temperature. During the fever induced haze Caleb had pleaded for him to 'not go'. It was only after the boy had became a little more coherent that he explained that while in the care of foster families they would sometimes show little interest when he became ill, making him take care of himself.

Mac had vowed to the boy, from that day, he would always be there when his son needed him, "I'm not going anywhere." Mac leaned over his son, kissing the young man's forehead, "You rest, I'll be right here, I love you Son."

"You too Dad…" Caleb's voice trailed off as sleep again claimed him.


	11. Chapter 11

That Which Does Not Kill Us  
Chapter 11  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

_Two weeks later-New York…_

_June 28, 1993 _

_This will be my last entry in this Journal. I am giving it to you today. I had planned on giving it to you upon your graduation from college, but recent events has made it clear to me that this is something I should not keep hidden from you any longer._

_First off I want you to know that the day I started this Journal was exactly a week after you came to live with me. It was started as a way for me to help you with your abilities, but became a place that I would write my thoughts and fears. As you read through this book you will find my ONLY fears were that I would fail you as a father._

_I was a bachelor in his early thirties and you were a challenging pre-teen who seemed mad at the world and was reluctant to trust anyone. However the moment I walked into that hospital room and saw what that so called doctor had done to you, I felt an anger swell inside me like I had never known. I had never wanted to protect someone so much in my life as I did you, finding you nearly comatose that day._

_Then a few days later with the terrible event involving Daniel, when I entered that hospital basement and saw you deathly still, Daniel standing over you, I had never wanted to kill another person so much as I had at the time, but you were my main concern. I'll never forget when we got back to your room and I asked you what you wanted and you said you wanted out of that place. My first and only thought was to take you home with me, to protect you. I have never regretted that phone call I made, allowing you to become my foster son, which led to one of the happiest days of my life-when you agreed to allow me to adopt you._

_I learned over these last almost ten years that there are only two things that can terrify a parent more than anything; the fear of your child being hurt and the fear that your child is dead. I had always wanted to protect you, that is why I was so resistant when you wanted to become more involved in the Brotherhood, I knew what that entailed and it scared me that I would be allowing you to be exposed to that. But I have watched over the years as you have grown in to a capable hunter, but I will always worry about you._

_However it was with this last encounter that I felt my world crumble. As I watched that thing stab you, then drag you from the room, I had never felt so useless and so much a failure as I had at that moment. I had failed you, failed to protect you. I had sat there and allowed that shifter to kill my only son before my eyes and done nothing to stop it. I am not ashamed to say my world stopped at that moment. I did not want to go on living if you were dead._

_Waking up in that hospital bed, Jim at my side, I feared the worst, I feared that you had been taken from me. I pleaded with Jim to tell my you were still alive and when he did tell me, I cried. I cried with relief that I was being given a second chance with my son. Seeing you the first time when I was allowed in the ICU, everything came crashing down on me, what I could have lost. I vowed at that moment that I would give this journal to you; I would answer any questions you had to ask of me. I would no longer hide things from you._

_This Journal was never a way for me to establish a pattern of behavior between you and your father. That thought never entered my mind. I want you to understand that what may be 'rumored' to be in your families past is just that-past. You are you; you are Caleb Thomas Reaves, a soon to be college graduate, a budding architect who will undoubtedly accomplish many great things. You are a member of the Brotherhood, a fearless fighter who wants nothing more than to protect those around him. But most importantly you are my Son, a young man I have watched grow from that scared (and yes I know you were scared, even if you never admitted it-remember I'm psychic too) twelve-year old boy into a very capable young man that any one would be proud to call their son and I feel extremely lucky that I am the one who has that honor._

_So as my final entry comes to a close, NEVER forget I will ALWAYS believe in you, I will ALWAYS trust you, I will ALWAYS be here for you. But most importantly I will ALWAYS love you!_

Mac closed the black leather bound book, laying his glasses to the side. His thoughts drifted to the young man he had left in the living room, lounging in the recliner, still recovering from the stab wound. Mac's own wounds were nearly healed. The stitches on his neck had been removed only yesterday leaving a faint scar line; the doctor had suggested he give it a few months to see how much of the scar would fade and if he still felt the need to do something about it he could consult with a plastic surgeon. His bruises were now fading to the yellowish hue that came before they would fade all together.

They had remained in Arkansas for five days after Caleb woke up, the doctors wanting to keep the younger man for observation. John and Bobby had returned to the road and though Jim had asked that Mac and Caleb return to the farm to recover, Mac felt the need for them to return to New York. The days between Caleb waking and being released were reserved, neither man speaking much about what had happened while the shifter had held them captive, but Mac knew there were issues that the creature had brought to the surface that they would have to discuss before long and the book in front of him was one of those issues.

Standing the Scholar picked up the Journal and carried it into the living room, laying it on the table next to the couch. "How are you feeling Son?" Mac asked as he took a seat across from the young man in question.

Caleb's abilities had started to straighten out once the concussion and pain medication finally wore off. He was able to pick up on the emotion coming from his father, looking at the older man Caleb answered, "I'm good Dad…" Caleb put the recliner down and switched off the television. "Are you okay?" The young hunter caught a glimpse of the book at the end of the couch.

Mac cleared his throat, knowing this conversation needed to take place, but fearing his son's reaction. "I think we need to talk about what happened, about what that thing said."

Caleb leaned forward a little, a slight twinge of pain reflecting on the younger man's face at the pull on his incision. "Dad, I don't know if…"

Mac cut him off, "I need you to understand a few things, and I have to admit I'm concerned about how you may react to some of the answers to the questions that I know you have."

The younger man rubbed his face, blowing out a deep breath. The one question that was forefront in Caleb's mind, the one that had haunted him since he had became more coherent at the hospital, memories of the events in that basement returning with more clarity. "Okay, if you want to talk…" Caleb tried to keep the clipped tone from his voice, but it was something that really bothered him. "Look Dad, I know shifters can pull random thoughts and fears from our memories, but did you really think that thing was me in that warehouse, where it said it attacked John?" Caleb's heart sank as he watched Mac drop his gaze to the floor.

The older man slowly raised his gaze to meet his son's and saw fear and anger looking back at him, "Caleb, what you have to understand…"

"God, you did didn't you?…How the hell could you think that was me?" Caleb stood quicker than he intended, nearly doubling over with pain as his stomach muscle pulled.

Mac was quickly on his feet, next to his son, "Caleb?"

"I'm fine." the young man growled out between clinched teeth, using the back of the chair to help hold himself up.

"Please Son, you have to understand, from the time you called and told me what you thought you were hunting I had a bad feeling, something wasn't right with any of it." Mac reached for his son again, "Please, sit back down."

Reluctantly Caleb allowed his father to help guide him back to the chair. Easing his son down Mac continued. "When I arrived at you motel room and John was there, I knew something was wrong, I just didn't know what. Then it walked in and…" Mac again sat across from his son, "It was acting just like you, talking like you do, interacting with John like you normally do, but something was still off. I could feel something was wrong, I didn't realize until later that it was using its own psychic like abilities to block any access I was trying, but somehow it was linking with your abilities which caused the blocks to feel like yours but different, do you understand?"

Caleb looked at his father, the anguish he saw in his father's face washed some of the anger he wanted to feel, away. "Maybe a little, but how could you have ever thought it was me that attacked John?"

Mac ran his hand over his face, his eyes filling with moisture, shame feeling his soul. "I don't know, I really don't know. I know that has always worried you, every since you had started researching your families history, you always worried that you would somehow repeat your families past. That shifter must have picked up on that from you and them picked up my worry about you feeling that way and was somehow able to project that fear onto the situation. You've got to understand, up to that point John thought it was you and was only taking minimal interest in my concerns that something was off. I'm not blaming John, but from the beginning for me nothing felt right."

The father reached over and took his son's hand in his, "Please believe me, I am so sorry for allowing any doubt, even for the few seconds, to enter my mind. I have always trusted you and will always trust you and I am so very sorry for the pain that this has caused you, I have never wanted to do anything that would hurt you."

Caleb reached for his father's face as a tear escaped the older man's eyes. "I know that evil bastard enjoyed messing with us and that it was twisting everything to inflict as much pain as possible. I think I can put it behind me if you can. I've never doubted how you feel about me Dad, it may be a pain in the ass sometimes…" Both men chuckled slightly, "But I'm glad to know I have someone out there who cares about me as much as you do, thank you."

Mac watched as his son glanced toward the end table, then Caleb's golden gaze met his, "I guess it wasn't lying about the journal?"

Mac stood, walking the few feet to retrieve the leather bond book, "No, the Journal is real, but not for the purpose that it tried to have you believe." The Scholar took his seat again, holding the book between his hands. "This Journal was started with one purpose and one purpose only. To help me to try and better help you with your abilities. What you need to understand Son, is that when I first met you and you came to live with me, I had never known a person with such powerful psychic abilities as you have." Caleb leaned back in the chair to relieve some of the pressure on his healing wound as Mac started flipping through the text. "All the research I had done when my own abilities started to manifest had never prepared me for the complexity and strength of your gifts. The relaxation techniques I tried to teach you, the concentration exercises I had you practice, that was all trail and error. I was trying to go with what worked with my own gifts and tried to figure out ways to customize them for you, that's why some things worked and others didn't. I, in essence, was learning with you."

Caleb smiled slightly at his father, "Well, you sure had me convinced you know what you were doing."

"That was the idea," Mac returned the smile, "I needed you to believe it would work and that is what allowed for many of the steps we took to work. You must understand, your abilities will more than likely continue to improve, become more 'fine tuned' if you will, but this is a learning process for both of us, that's why I kept this, so I could remember what we had tried, what worked in the past and what didn't, so if something new every showed up I could help you to deal with it." Mac's expression took on one of concentration as he looked at his Son, "But more importantly, more important than anything concerning your abilities are some of the other entries you will find in this book. But there is one thing you will NOT find in here and that is any reference to your family or any connection to them, this is about you, but it is also about me."

Mac stood and walked toward the mantel that held some of the photos that had been taken of Caleb over the last ten years, "You have to understand I was scared to death when I brought you home with me. I didn't know the first thing about being a father." Mac turned and looked at Caleb, "Up until the moment I walked into your hospital room all those years ago, I had not had to worry about another person aside from myself. That all changed the instant I saw you and that scared me, I was afraid I would screw up, that I would make your life worse because I didn't know what I was doing, that's what you will find in these pages." Mac walked over to his son, handing the young man the book.

Caleb reached a shaking hand toward the Journal, he had never heard, nor expected the outpouring of emotion his father was showing him. The feelings the young psychic was picking up from the older man were; anxiety, fear, hope, understanding, but the one that stood out the most was love. "Are you sure?"

Once releasing the book into his son's hand, Mac took his hand and cupped the side of Caleb's face, "I've never been more sure about anything, no more secrets. Just always remember…" Mac leaned over and kissed the top of his son's head "you are the most important person in my life, I will always be here for you and I will always love you." With that Mac left the room.

Caleb watched his father go, tears stinging his own eyes. He glanced down at the black leather book; anguish to see what was inside, but also afraid of what he would find. Taking a deep breath the young man opened the Journal to the first page:

_November 11, 1983, _

_Caleb has been a part of my life for only a week, but I am finding it difficult to remember my life without him in it. I have never cared about another person so much in my life and I am scared to death…_

A/N: First I want to thank everyone who took the time to read and review my story. I really appreciate the fact you guys take the time and enjoy my writing enough to come back again and again.  
Second, Thanks to all the wonderful Brotherhood writers who help to inspire my own stories. I expecially want to thank Ridley again for creating such a wonderful Universe to write in. Then of course there is  
Mr. Kirpke with whom we would never have discovered our dear Winchester men. Who would have know the amazing writing that world has helped create?  
I have another story in the works and Visions is still floating around in my brain, hopefully my muse will come back to me on that one soon. I hope you all enjoyed my story and hope to see you all again soon--Montez


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